Pakistan: Court approves 14-day judicial remand of Imran Khan’s nephew in May 9 case

Islamabad: An anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Thursday approved 14-day judicial remand of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s nephew Shershah Khan over his alleged involvement in the 2023 May 9 riots case, local media reported. 

Shershah Khan was arrested on August 22, a day after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s another nephew Shahrez Khan was arrested in Jinnah House attack case in connection to the May 9 violence.

Khan was presented before the court on Thursday after his five-day physical remand ended. During the hearing related to the attack on Jinnah House, the police demanded 30-day physical remand of Shershah Khan. In a video, the police said that the suspect was seen standing with Hassan Niazi — who is another nephew of Imran Khan — during the May 9 riots, Pakistan’s leading media outlet Geo News reported.

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In response to police’s demand, Shershah Khan’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja stated that featuring in a video did not prove a crime. After hearing the arguments of both sides, ATC judge granted 14-day judicial remand of Shershah Khan and sent him to jail.

Both Shershah Khan and Shahrez Khan, who are sons of Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan, face charges of allegedly carrying out an anti-state campaign and involvement in the May 9 violence. Sources said that both the suspects were initially arrested over their alleged involvement in the Jinnah attack case, Geo News reported. The sources further stated that Shershah Khan went into hiding after the violence and later travelled to London, where he stayed for nearly two years.

On August 22, Imran Khan’s son Kasim Khan denounced the arrest of Shahrez Khan and Shershah Khan, terming it “blatant state repression.”

“My cousins Shahrez and Shershah have been abducted, while Hassan Niazi has been convicted in a military court. This is blatant state repression, punishing family members because the Supreme Court tried granting Imran Khan bail. Such tactics will not break us – they only expose the injustice further. Targetting innocent family members is cruel, unlawful, and must end,” Kasim Khan posted on X.

Aleema Khan also took to X to react to the arrest of her son. In a statement shared on August 22 on X, Aleema Khan wrote, “Last night, several plainclothes armed men stormed my residence in Lahore. They brutally assaulted our staff, harassed my daughter-in-law, and forcibly took away my son, Shahrez Khan, in front of his two young daughters. For over three years, this fascist regime in Pakistan has unleashed a reign of terror, raiding thousands of homes, abducting and harassing countless innocent civilians. Yet, despite their brutality, they have failed to break Imran Khan.

“Our children understand that the struggle Imran Khan is leading is far greater than any one of us. He has set a remarkable standard of resilience against tyranny. These cowardly actions only expose the fear and desperation of the oppressors. We place our trust in Allah alone, seeking His protection and justice,” she added.

Protests erupted across Pakistan on May 9, 2023 after Imran Khan’s arrest over a corruption case. PTI supporters held violent protests in Pakistan, vandalising military installations and state-owned buildings, while also targetting Jinnah House.